How were legal disputes settled under Spanish civil law?

Legal disputes under Spanish civil law were primarily settled by pre-established statutes. This system is characterized by a comprehensive legal framework that lays out rules and regulations governing various aspects of civil law. These statutes provide clear guidelines for resolving disputes, ensuring consistency and predictability in legal proceedings.

Spanish civil law is codified, meaning that the laws are systematically organized into codes, such as the Civil Code. This codification allows for disputes to be settled based on the written law rather than relying on interpretations or the discretion of judges. As a result, when a dispute arises, parties can refer directly to these established statutes for resolution, fostering a more orderly legal process.

The reliance on pre-established statutes contrasts with other methods such as arbitration, which involves parties consensually submitting their disputes to a neutral third party outside of the court system, or resolving matters on a case-by-case basis, which may lead to varying outcomes depending on individual circumstances and interpretations by different judges. Popular votes would not apply within the legal framework, as such decisions require legal reasoning rather than collective consensus. Using pre-established statutes ensures a foundation for legal resolution that is stable and uniform, which is a hallmark of civil law systems.